The books were slipped into the bags one after another, stacked together to avoid slipping or rubbing until both sacks were full and ready for transport. Jigano nodded his thanks at Kiada as he tied them closed, then stood back to think about her suggestion, looking around the room with a faint frown as he tried to envision what she meant. "Something draining?" he repeated, a furrow between his brows. "What did you have in mind? I'll bow to your expertise in that, if you have something specific we can make. My friend Hiraku was skilled at setting traps... so I never had to learn," he admitted, a flicker of sadness in his smile as the memories brought bittersweet nostalgia. Hiraku, at least, had been alive when he had last seen his friend. The same could not be said for others he had left behind.... but he had allowed Hiraku as close as he allowed anyone, before he had pushed them all away and fled behind the bulworks of guilt and shame and pride to walk his lonely road.
Lonely no longer, and the sadness faded as he offered Kiada a sack and led the way out of the room to where the companions played. "We can hide these and then return to finish closing up shop, if you're up for it," he suggested with a nod towards the door, even if Isuma and Auni were busy chasing each other around in a display of innocent fun that warmed a little more of the grief from his heart.
Lonely no longer, and the sadness faded as he offered Kiada a sack and led the way out of the room to where the companions played. "We can hide these and then return to finish closing up shop, if you're up for it," he suggested with a nod towards the door, even if Isuma and Auni were busy chasing each other around in a display of innocent fun that warmed a little more of the grief from his heart.
